What's happening

49 responses

Wayne starts with ... With our weather.

How has your weather been this year and how has it effected your crops?

At this time of year we are normally sweating in heat, watering like crazy trying to keep things alive and hoping for storms. Everything is usually brown and bush fires are polluting the air but we have non of that.

Everything is super green, everybody is sick of the rain and it is still cool. Usually we would be cranking up the air conditioners but we are still pulling the blankets at night = crazy.

All up though, it has been a very hard year to try grow vegies in the garden, we have had many problems

Jason says... Hi Wayne down here in the very far South it's been wetter than usual (usual being the last 10 years). Often in November (or even October lately) the grass is dried out and crunchy under foot just waiting to explode in fire :P. But right now everything is still damp and green. We had a LOT more fungus problems and leaf curl etc then ever before but overall the wet ground and cooler weather is making things grow much better than usual.

Night time temps have been pretty warm? we never saw below 0c this year and most nights right now have been 8c or something like that which is pretty comfy for us it never averages better than 12c even in the middle of Summer. Even the fire/arsonist crews have been managing to burn the forests without getting them totally out of control and ending up with a pile of dead trees and ash :)

It's also the driest year on record for WA. Looks like all the rain staying over that side. The forecast is also for increased cyclonic activity this season. Which is WA's (down to Perth - at a stretch)only hope of getting some water now.

So you better buy some gumboots Wayne! :)

I only hope we don't have any of the catastrophic fires they are warning us of.

BJ says... I think its just about our wettest season on record. Started off great with lots of new growth. Beginning to get a bit of die back from phytophtera. Lost a young mango tree and had big losses in crop on Grumimchama and Lychee, but not so bad as it has translated into lots of good growth that should set up good future returns, root rot permitting.

Plus, we have tomato plants coming up everywhere! In cracks in the pavement in town I am seeing flowering bushes! Ditto pumpkins.

Wayne says... I to have had fungus problems this year and for the first time, Broad Mites, they destroyed my zucchinis [twice] and then a crop of beans before I found the problem.

Jason, the leaf curl I had was diagnosed at our Botanical Gardens as Broad Mites, the leaves were curling like a fist clinching. I tried Eco-oil first and it helped, I then added Eco-neem to the mix and it fixed the problem. Could be worth a try.

It does make me wonder when we hear the wettest months on record and the lowest temperatures on record, it is damn cold here this morning.

Last night on the news, our Central QLD Mango crop has failed for the first time in history with some growers having no fruit at all. You just need to drive around Mackay to believe that, Common Mangoes grow wild here and even those have no fruit.

As BJ says, there are many pluses with this climate change, had the Bowen farmers known this weather pattern was coming they could possibly still be operating.

Strange goings on alright, mind you, I could take a lot more of the glorious weather :-]

MaryT says... I live 6 km from CBD Sydney and we've had a lot of rain - this morning I found mushrooms growing in all my pot plants (I have a container garden in a car space) and they are in the sun (i.e. when it's shinning).

This morning the sun is out so I am looking forward to sweeping up all the corollas from my giant jacaranda. It's hazardous because of the bees - they keep sucking honey from the fallen bloom and it's easy to step on one or be stung by one.

amanda says... Probably Wayne, Indian Ocean temps warming but I think pacific one's ok. One would hope you dry out a bit and very soon - could be a horrific cyclone season.
Must be the drenching of a lifetime by now??

John Mc says... Maybee the weather has returned to normal after 10 years of drought. Yippee. Everythings growing better than I have ever seen it grow. Even my three year old Black Sapote seedlings are in flower. I thought plants only flowered early when under stress? Maybe they are, but the growth is tremendous.

amanda says... Smoke, blood and oil...a little always looks like a lot!? That fire 5kms from our house - had a close look today and the hill didn't look any dfferent than normal...just a bit burnt. Small wood - but extremely dry.

I am not particularly worried for our property to be honest - I have an outer fire break and a double-width inner also (not legally required) I mow all the dead grass before fire season, within the house paddock (and have 14 high pressure taps here too)
I try to plant fire retardant trees etc, especially closer to the house. The cool, green "wet" zones are close to the house (herbs, veg etc)

Make sure all tap fittings are non-plastic etc - so they don't melt when u need them most. Make sure u have water in your rain water tanks 'always' (even scheme water) - you never know when it may save your life.

amanda says... Hooray for WA!! We had a huge tropical style downpour last nite....bliss. Time to get busy in the garden guys - looks like the weather is breaking at last..? (happy sigh!)
Well...I am excited at least ;-)

snottiegobble says... Yes Amanda, things are looking up with quite a few good showers down here adding up to about 12mls. Even the moaning frogs are moaning & jumping into peoples swimming pools.( had 4 donated to me so far)

amanda says... Just wanted to say I am so excited about the forecast for tomorrow: "Showers increasing" .... fingers crossed!!!
I am sooo looking forward to spending a rainy day (a whole one!) inside with the family :)
Don't know what happened to autumn - but maybe it's winter in WA at last... :)

snottiegobble says... Amanda, 24 in Gero! You must be freeeeezing!!! Raining in Mandurah when we left at 4pm today but nothing here as yet 9pm. The bush is looking very drab now in need of it. Fingers crossed!
Still it was 16 in Melb so would you swap?

About the AuthorsnottiegobbleBunbury/Busso (smackin the middle)15th May 2011 11:15pm#UserID: 3468Posts: 1454

snottiegobble says... Er! what rain Amanda? We got nuisance value drops up to 2 mls! But as La Nina has now left the building we can hope for more! Big Mullaway caught off the beach this morning so sea temps already dropping.
Sorry you folks in the East but here we need El Nino to survive!

About the AuthorsnottiegobbleBunbury/Busso (smackin the middle)18th May 2011 11:14pm#UserID: 3468Posts: 1454

amanda says... Fantastic SG! What a land of contrasts we live in hey. We literally claw our way up to 200mm in winter here - and yet that is just business as usual up north and over the side...

Personally I feel good about our cognizance in saving water and planning for our water-future here in WA. Out of adeversity comes inspiration..? :)

I can remember quite naturally leaving the tap running when I brushed my teeth, as a child. Now my 7yr old is the water-cop around here!?
It's amazing how much we have actually changed - without even realising it...
I was also in Cairns not so many years ago when water meters were installed for the first time...I wonder how many towns still live the luxury of life without water bills now..?

snottiegobble says... Yes exactly Amanda, There are still many people who think water is a right & not a gift! They still chill out under the shower for up to 30 minutes oblivious of the water wasted for their personal satisfaction. The little shower timer in our house is never used due to it being TOO SLOW!

About the AuthorsnottiegobbleBunbury/Busso (smackin the middle)21st May 2011 12:36am#UserID: 3468Posts: 1454

Julie says... I got 40mls yesterday, following Friday's rain - 40+mls.
Despite my usual watering regime (twice a week, all I'm allowed) my citrus are practically bare of fruit. All summer they looked droopy and sad, even after watering. Only about 1/3 the usual quantity of mandarins. Boo hoo!

I'm beginning to wonder if it's worth it. I have too many Navel orange trees and two yellow grapefruit no-one seems to eat any more, which were here when I moved in. I end up usually giving heaps away. The thought of cutting down perfectly good trees apalls me, but I'm beginning to think that way.

snottiegobble says... Julie you once mentioned the neighbour`s tree roots encroaching your property! (I have the same prob) but only one side TG. Maybe the roots are affecting the mandarins badly. I have to say the other neighbours mandarin was so laden this year I had to remove bags full of fruit just to stop the branches from splitting. ( Oh yes! my side if the fence!)

About the AuthorsnottiegobbleBunbury/Busso (smackin the middle)31st May 2011 8:58pm#UserID: 3468Posts: 1454

Julie says... sg, I was just thinking about that this morning! The oranges are not far from a huge Camphor laurel, and I suspect that during our very hot, dry summer, it sucked all the water from the orange trees.

Somewhere on this site was mentioned a way to kill a tree by putting Roundup on the roots. I'm tempted!

snottiegobble says... Julie ,drill lots of holes of about 15 cms & 6 -10cms deep in all the roots visible above ground. Use a small funnel to pour the glyphosate to near the top of each hole. As soon as pos. seal all holes with silicon. Much easier if its your own tree of course!

About the AuthorsnottiegobbleBunbury/Busso (smackin the middle)2nd June 2011 12:52am#UserID: 3468Posts: 1454

amanda says... I'd just like to say that this is the best winter, in the Mid West, that I have seen in 6yrs!
It's such a great feeling to know that we will be heading into summer with adequate sub-soil moisture for the first time in ages!

I am really excited to see what growth this spring brings - as I have not seen these parts looking so emerald green and lush for a long time :)

I am on my mower every 2 or 3 days now! I hope it keeps coming for us here in WA - so desperately needed. I had carnage in my garden last summer...

MaryT says... After one of the wettest July in decades we had a week of sunshine and summer temperatures but it is raining again in Sydney. I am finding a lot more (and bigger) earth worms invading my container garden. Never had to worry about them much but they are looking scary.